It is often stated that Opinion is man’s reality.

That is wrong! There are subjective and objective reality.

Subjective reality, is reality seen through our inner mental filters that are shaped by our past conditioning. Objective reality is how things really are.

Although it is possible to perceive objectively, we cannot take in the totality of reality and say anything about it; we can only point to some of its characteristics, since we all trapped by our own mental cages – we are all biased.

So whenever we explore reality in any specific manner, we have to leave out something. For example, when you describe an orange, you cannot say anything about its totality. You have to talk about its colour or its taste or its shape. If you want your description to encompass the whole thing — its colour, shape, and taste all together — you can only say, "orange."

It is the same with objective reality. If you want to say anything about it, you have to focus on its specific characteristics.

An important part is to understand the view of objective reality. This understanding comes through discussions about it and through your own investigation, your own exploration and experience. This view is, in some sense, not one experience, but what unifies all experiences. It is the over-arching picture that makes all experiences intelligible and meaningful. The more we understand the view of objective reality, the more we know where we are in our journey.

The more we understand the view, the more we know how distorted or how objective our experience is. Thus, understanding the view is a valuable guidance and an important orientation. In time, as our realization process progresses and deepens, our experience corresponds more with the view. When experience is exactly harmonious with the view, this is what is called total realization or enlightenment.

To move us along this understanding continuum, I believe that research and more knowledge can assist. For instance, it is only once a doctor has positively diagnosed an illness that we should really start to worry about it.

That is why it is so important in my reputation work that clients communicate effectively. Knowledge backed up by substantiated facts – verified research can often assist in shifting opinion away from subjectivity to objectivity, hence the importance of strategic stakeholder –specific communication plans. However feelings and emotions are a separate issue to be dealt with.

Example: In a crisis, when there has been a death, you need to deal with the emotions and then the facts.

Perhaps this story explains it all : A man, who is the father of a year-old youngster, met his pastor on Sunday afternoon.

"Why weren’t you at church this morning?" was the first question of the spiritual adviser.

"I couldn’t come," was the answer. "I had to stop at home and mind the baby; our nurse is ill."

"That’s no excuse," said the pastor.

"It isn’t? Well, next Sunday I’ll bring him to church with me and see how you like it."

Action Plan Lesson – Always be ready to communicate the truth.